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Myths about spaying & castration: MYTH: It's better to have one litter first. FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier and have the lowest cancer risk. MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth. FACT: Instead, children should learn that the real miracle is life and that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives of others. Another option is adopting a pregnant female. MYTH: But my pet is a purebred. FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats—mixed breed and purebred.

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More Myths MYTH: It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered. FACT: It's a very small price to pay for the health of your pet and the prevention of the births of more unwanted pets. Also consider the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health of the mother and litter; two months of pregnancy and another two months until the litter is weaned can add up to significant veterinary bills. MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens. FACT: You may find homes for all of your pet's litter. But each home you find means one less home for the dogs and cats in shelters who need good homes. Also, in less than one year's time, each of your pet's offspring may have his or her own litter, adding even more animals to the population. The problem of pet overpopulation is created and perpetuated one litter at a time.

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oAn estimated 52 million dogs and 57 million cats live with U.S. families. oFor every human born, 7 puppies and kittens are born. oMore than 12 million dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters each year. Millions more are abandoned in rural and urban areas. U.S. Pet Statistics http://www.animalworldnetwork.com/bsurpetstat.html

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oAs many as 25% of dogs entering shelters each year are purebreds. oApproximately 61% of all dogs entering shelters are killed. oApproximately 75% of all cats entering shelters are killed. More U.S Pet Statistics http://www.animalworldnetwork.com/bsurpetstat.html

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oIt costs approximately $100 to capture, house, feed, and eventually kill each stray animal -- a cost which you, the taxpayer, eventually pay. The cost of NOT neutering http://www.animalworldnetwork.com/bsurpetstat.html

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Activity/Demonstration Using the illustrations in the second slide show, explain the reproductive capacity of un-neutered cats over time Work through several multiplication problems used to create the flow chart Number of intact males X number of intact females that they will breed Number of kittens that each female averages per litter X number of litters a female has annually

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Student Assignment Now it is time for students to calculate their own population-growth graph, but of dog overpopulation rather than cat Use the following assumptions: female dog can produce two litters/year, with average of eight/litter. Students will draw their graphs and explain the calculations to the rest of the class